The present invention relates to a man-machine interface apparatus and a man-machine interface method and, more particularly, to a man-machine interface apparatus and a man-machine interface method using an eye switch menu search method suitable for searching a menu item to be found by an eye switch.
For example, in the electronic viewfinder (EVF) of a camera built-in type VTR, a switch selection method based on the detection of line of sight (to be referred to as an xe2x80x9ceye switchxe2x80x9d hereinafter) has been proposed. In this selection method, the line of sight position (gazing position) of an operator in the viewfinder is detected, and when it is detected that the detected line of sight position matches a menu item displayed on an image display unit, a switch selection operation corresponding to the matched menu item is executed.
FIG. 1 shows the transition states of finder page screens upon switch selection on a conventional viewfinder. In FIG. 1, page screens 8-a to 8-d represent the respective states of a display unit that realizes the above-mentioned eye switches. A conventional eye switch of this type will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, the page screen 8-a shows a state wherein a normal image is displayed, and three menu items (to be referred to as xe2x80x9cITEM1xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9cITEM3xe2x80x9d hereinafter for the sake of simplicity) which can be selected by the eye switches are displayed on fields 101 to 103. When a large number of menu items are available, these menu items are displayed across several pages, and for this purpose, an item for selecting the next page (to be referred to as a xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d item hereinafter) is prepared on a field 104. Since the display fields of the menu items and the display field of the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d item are located on the four corner portions of the display unit, in other words, since a blank field is assured at the central portion of the display unit, a sufficient field of view is assured for the operator.
Assume that the page screen 8-a does not display any menu items that the operator desired. In this case, in order to search for a desired menu item, i.e., to explore other pages, the operator gazes at the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d field 104. When it is detected that the line of sight position matches the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d field 104, the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d field 104 in FIG. 1 changes to a highlighted field 105 (see the page screen 8-b). With this change, the operator can recognize that an eye switch associated with the next page selection operation has been executed.
When. the next page selection operation has been executed, the displayed menu items change from xe2x80x9cITEM1xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9cITEM3xe2x80x9d on the fields 101 to 103 to xe2x80x9cITEM4xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9cITEM6xe2x80x9d on fields 106 to 108, as indicated by the page screen 8-c. 
Furthermore, when the operator keeps gazing at the field 104 (i.e., the field 105), the page screens 8-b to 8-d are repetitively displayed on the display unit. In this case, the eye switch associated with the next page selection operation is executed only when the operator gazes at the field 104 for a predetermined period of time or more, so as to prevent an operation error of the switch.
FIG. 2 shows the transition states of viewfinder page screens when xe2x80x9cITEM4xe2x80x9d (field 107) is executed by the eye switch as the page screen 8-c is displayed. Note that a series of operations for switching a page screen 9-a to a page screen 9-c until menu item 4 is displayed on the display unit are the same as those for the page screens 8-a to 8-c shown in FIG. 1.
When xe2x80x9cITEM4xe2x80x9d as a target menu is displayed on the field 107 on the page screen 9-c, the operator gazes at the field 107. When the line of sight position matches the field 107, the field 107 is highlighted (see a field 115 on a page screen 9-d), and the operator can recognize that an eye switch associated with xe2x80x9cITEM4xe2x80x9d is being executed.
Upon completion of execution of the eye switch associated with xe2x80x9cITEM4xe2x80x9d, when the operator moves his or her line of sight position from the field 115, the display state of the display unit is restored to a normal image display state, as indicated by a page screen 9-e. 
Note that an eye switch associated with each menu item is executed only when the operator gazes at the corresponding field (107 in this case) for a predetermined period of time or more, so as to prevent an operation error of the switch, as described above.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show other examples of the transition states of page screens based on the conventional eye switch.
Referring to FIG. 3, a page screen 3-a corresponds to a normal image display state, and fields 301 to 303 in the displayed page screen 3-a display operation items that can be selected and executed by the line of sight. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the operation items include xe2x80x9cWIDExe2x80x9d, TELESCOPICxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cDATExe2x80x9d. Also, images of a circular cylinder, rectangular parallelopiped, sphere, and triangular cone are displayed on the screen. As in the examples shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, since a large number of items to be operated by eye switches are available in FIGS. 3 and 4, these items must be displayed across several pages. For this purpose, a display field 304 for a xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d item is prepared. Since these operation items and the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d display field 304 are located on the four corner portions of the display screen, a sufficient field of view of an EVF image can be assured.
Assume that the displayed page screen 3-a does not display any operation items that the operator desired. In this case, in order to search for a target operation item, the operator gazes at the field 304 for displaying the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d item. Then, the field 304 is emphasis-displayed, as indicated by a field 305 (page screen 3-b), and the operator can recognize that an eye switch associated with the next page selection operation is being executed. At the same time, the next page selection function is executed by the eye switch, and the operation items to be displayed change from xe2x80x9cWIDExe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cTELESCOPExe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cDATExe2x80x9d on the fields 301 to 303 to xe2x80x9cFADExe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cDIGITALxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cBLCxe2x80x9d on fields 307 to 309, as indicated by a third page screen 3-c. 
When the operator keeps his or her eye on the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d display field 305, the next page selection operation is repetitively executed, and the display unit displays the second page screen 3-b to a fourth page screen 3-d in turn. Note that the eye switch associated with the next page selection operation is executed when the line of sight position stays on the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d display field 304 for 1.5 sec or more, so as to avoid an operation error of the switch.
A procedure when an operator executes a digital effect operation by an eye switch will be explained below with reference to FIG. 3. In this case, since the first page screen 3-a as an initial page screen does not display any items for executing this operation, the operator gazes at the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d item field 304 (page screen 3-b) to switch the page screen to the third page screen 3-c on which the xe2x80x9cDIGITALxe2x80x9d item is displayed. When the operator then gazes at the xe2x80x9cDIGITALxe2x80x9d item display field 308, the digital effect operation is executed. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the type of digital effect is set to be xe2x80x9cMOSAICxe2x80x9d in advance, and upon execution of the above-mentioned operation procedure, a mosaic image is displayed on the display screen, as indicated by a fifth page screen 3-e. 
Another display control of an eye switch in the viewfinder shown in FIG. 3 will be described below with reference to FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 4, a first page screen 4-a corresponds to a normal display state of an electronic viewfinder EVF. In this state, when the operator depresses an eye-controlled menu key 401, the display state of the viewfinder EVF is switched, as indicated by a second page screen 4-b, and the mode of the VTR is switched to an eye-controlled menu mode.
After the eye-controlled menu mode is selected, xe2x80x9cMENU1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cMENU2xe2x80x9d are respectively displayed on the left and right end fields 402 and 403 on the upper portion of the screen of the viewfinder EVF. In this state, when the operator gazes at the xe2x80x9cMENU1xe2x80x9d field 402, the display state in the viewfinder EVF is switched, as indicated by a third page screen 4-c. 
The third page screen 4-c displays setting items xe2x80x9cWINDOW CUTxe2x80x9d (field 404), xe2x80x9cWHITE BALANCExe2x80x9d (field 405), xe2x80x9cREMOTE CONTROL SENSORxe2x80x9d (field 406), and xe2x80x9cSHUTTERxe2x80x9d (field 407) as a setting item group of xe2x80x9cMENU1xe2x80x9d, and their corresponding setting states (e.g., xe2x80x9cWINDOW CUTxe2x80x9d is set in the xe2x80x9cONxe2x80x9d state) . In this display state, the operator gazes at an item, the setting state of which is to be changed. For example, when the operator gazes at the xe2x80x9cREMOTE CONTROL SENSORxe2x80x9d field 406, the display state in the viewfinder EVF is switched, as indicated by a fourth page screen 4-d. The fourth page screen 4-d allows the operator to change the setting state of xe2x80x9cREMOTE CONTROL SENSORxe2x80x9d. In this state, when the operator gazes at an xe2x80x9cOFFxe2x80x9d display field 409 and then turns his or her eye to an xe2x80x9c less than OK greater than xe2x80x9d display field 410, the setting state of xe2x80x9cREMOTE CONTROL SENSORxe2x80x9d changes to the xe2x80x9cOFFxe2x80x9d state, and this VTR does not accept any remote-control operation thereafter. At the same time, the display state in the viewfinder EVF is switched to the state of a fifth page screen 4-e, i.e., the viewfinder displays that xe2x80x9cREMOTE CONTROL SENSORxe2x80x9d is set in the xe2x80x9cOFFxe2x80x9d state. Therefore, the operator can easily confirm the setting state of xe2x80x9cREMOTE CONTROL SENSORxe2x80x9d.
On the other hand, as indicated by a sixth page screen 4-f, xe2x80x9cMENU2xe2x80x9d includes items xe2x80x9cTIME ZONExe2x80x9d (field 412), xe2x80x9cTALLYxe2x80x9d (field 413), xe2x80x9cSUMMERTIMExe2x80x9d (field 414), and xe2x80x9cEYE SWITCHxe2x80x9d (field 415). In order to change the setting states of these items (fields 412 to 415), the operator gazes at the xe2x80x9cMENU2xe2x80x9d item field 403 on the second page screen 4-b, the third page screen 4-c, the fifth page screen 4-e, or the like, which displays the xe2x80x9cMENU2xe2x80x9d item field 403. With this operation, the display state in the viewfinder EVF can be switched to that of a sixth page screen 4-f. In this state, when the operator gazes at the display field of an item, the setting state of which is to be changed, e.g., xe2x80x9cTIME ZONExe2x80x9d display field 412, the display state in the viewfinder EVF is switched to that of a seventh page screen 4-g, and the time zone to be displayed of the world clock can be selected.
For example, when the operator gazes at a xe2x80x9cSYDNEYxe2x80x9d field 417 and then turns his or her eyes to the xe2x80x9c less than OK greater than xe2x80x9d field 410, xe2x80x9cTIME ZONExe2x80x9d changes to xe2x80x9cSYDNEYxe2x80x9d. At the same time, the page screen is switched to an eighth page screen 4-h, and the operator can confirm that xe2x80x9cTIME ZONExe2x80x9d has changed to xe2x80x9cSYDNEYxe2x80x9d.
Upon execution of a series of operations described above, the function setting state of the VTR can be changed using an eye-controlled menu. Note that the setting itemxc2x7setting command is executed after the operator gazes at a single display item for 1 sec or more, so as to avoid an operation error.
The problems in the two prior arts described in association with FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIGS. 3 and 4 will be explained below.
In the prior art shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the menu item fields 101 to 103 and the menu item field 104 to be operated by the eye switches are displayed on the four corner portions so as to assure a sufficient field of view of an original image on the page screen 8-a. For this reason, when the operator gazes at the xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d display field 104 on the lower right corner to execute the next page selection function, other menu items to be displayed change upon execution of the next page selection function although the display state of xe2x80x9cNEXT PAGExe2x80x9d remains the same. For this reason, when the operator searches for his or her desired item, he or she must gaze in turn at the four corner portions of the display unit, resulting in poor operability.
Furthermore, since the menu items are located on the four corner portions of the display unit and the operator cannot smoothly gaze at each one of these items in turn, the gazing period for confirmation tends to become longer than that required, and the operator may inadvertently operate an unwanted eye switch, resulting in an operation error.
In the prior art associated with the eye-controlled menu (FIGS. 3 and 4), immediately after the third or sixth page screen 4-c or 4-f is selected by gazing at the xe2x80x9cMENU1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cMENU2xe2x80x9d display field 402 or 403, when the operator turns his or her eye to other setting items to confirm the setting states of a plurality of displayed items, and gazes at one of these items for a period longer than that required, the display state may be switched to the selection state (e.g., the fourth page screen 4-d, the seventh page screen 4-g, or the like) of a wrong item, resulting in an operation error.
Furthermore, the xe2x80x9c less than OK greater than xe2x80x9d display field 410 and the xe2x80x9cMENU2xe2x80x9d display field 403 are located at an identical position in FIG. 4. For this reason, after the operator determines the setting state of an arbitrary item by gazing at the xe2x80x9c less than OK greater than xe2x80x9d display field 410, if the line of sight position stays in this position after the display state resumes to that of the fifth page screen 4-e, the eighth page screen 4-h, or the like, the operator undesirably gazes at the xe2x80x9cMENU2xe2x80x9d display field 403.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a man-machine interface apparatus and method which can improve operability by displaying menu items in different display formats.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a man-machine interface apparatus having display means that simultaneously displays a plurality of menu items in a first display format, comprising:
display switching means for switching a display format of the plurality of menu items from the first display format to a second display format different from the first display format; and
restoring means for, when the display format is switched by the display switching means from the first display format to the second display format, displaying the plurality of menu items in the second display format for a predetermined period and thereafter restoring the display format to the first display format.
Also, in order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a man-machine interface method for displaying a plurality of menu items in a first display format, comprising the steps of:
switching a display format of the plurality of menu items from the first display format to a second display format different from the first display format in response to an operation with respect to a predetermined selection menu; and
displaying the plurality of menu items in the second display format for a predetermined period, and thereafter, restoring the display format to the first display format when the first display format is switched to the second display format.
According to the apparatus and method with the above arrangement, since identical menu items are displayed in different display formats, the operability can be improved.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, each of the plurality of menu items is displayed at a predetermined first position in the first display format, and is displayed at a predetermined second position different from the first position in the second display format. According to this aspect, when the second position is set at, e.g., the center of the screen, the visibility of the operator can be improved.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, each of the plurality of menu items is displayed at a predetermined first position in the first display format, and is displayed at the first position and also at a predetermined second position different from the first position in the second display format. According to this aspect, since the menu items are displayed at both the two positions, i.e., the first and second positions, the visibility of the operator can be further improved.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, each of the plurality of menu items is assigned with an eye switch function. More specifically, when each menu item serves as an eye switch, the eye switch menu item is displayed in the second display format, thus greatly improving the visibility and operability.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the plurality of menu items are displayed on the display means while being divided into a plurality of pages, each of the pages has a menu item group, and the display switching means comprises:
means for displaying a page selection menu for selecting a page on the display means;
means for detecting if the page selection menu is selected by an operator; and
means for, when the operator does not select the page selection menu, displaying an arbitrary menu item group in the first display format, and for, when the operator selects the page selection menu, displaying a menu item group designated by the menu selection menu in the second. display format.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, in the second display format, the plurality of menu items are displayed on a field near a center of the display means.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, in the second display format, a state or associated information of each of the plurality of menu items is displayed.
Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a man-machine interface apparatus having display means that simultaneously displays a plurality of menu items in a first display format, comprising:
menu means for displaying a selection menu for instructing switching of a display format of the plurality of menu items from the first display format to a second display format different from the first display format on a display screen of the display means;
detection means for detecting if the selection menu is operated; and
display switching means for switching the display format of the plurality of menu items from the first display format to the second display format upon reception of an output from the detection means.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the detection means comprises means for detecting that the selection menu is operated for a first period.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises means for detecting that an arbitrary one of the plurality of menu items is operated for a second period, and the first period is set to be longer than the second period. Since the second display format has a long display period, the menu items displayed in the second display format can be confirmed using a longer period of time.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises restoring means for, when the display format is switched by the display switching means from the first display format to the second display format, displaying the plurality of menu items in the second display format for a predetermined period and thereafter, restoring the display format to the first display format.
It is another object of the present invention to prevent an apparatus from causing an operation error when a wrong menu item is selected and accepted.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a man-machine interface apparatus which allows an operator to select an arbitrary menu item from a plurality of menu items that are simultaneously displayed, comprising:
menu selection means for allowing the operator to select an arbitrary menu item from the plurality of displayed menu items;
confirmation means for confirming selection of the arbitrary menu item by the operator; and
inhibition means for inhibiting an operation of the menu selection means for a predetermined first period when the operation of the arbitrary menu item is confirmed.
According to this man-machine interface, another selection item is never erroneously accepted during the first period.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, each of the plurality of menu items is assigned with an eye switch function. When the present invention is applied to menu item selection based on the eye switch, the operability can be effectively improved.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the menu selection means comprises:
line of sight position detection means for detecting a line of sight position of the operator on display means;
coincidence detection means for detecting a coincidence between the line of sight position of the operator detected by the line of sight position detection means and a display position of a menu item displayed on the display means; and
processing execution means for executing processing corresponding to the menu item matching the line of sight position in accordance with an output from the coincidence detection means.
Another menu item can be prevented from being selected during processing of the previously selected menu item.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the confirmation means confirms the selection by checking if a selection operation for one menu item by an eye switch continues for a predetermined second period.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the apparatus displays the plurality of menu items as a list.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the apparatus displays a list of a plurality of menu items or commands for attaining an internal setting operation of a main apparatus.
According to one preferred aspect-of the present invention, the main apparatus is a camera built-in type VTR.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises means for variably adjusting the first period.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the menu selection means comprises display control means for switching a display state on display means in correspondence with a selected menu item, and
when the display control means switches the display state of the menu item, the inhibition means inhibits the operation of the menu selection means during the first period immediately after the switching operation.
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the inhibition means comprises means for informing the operator that the operation of the menu selection means is inhibited.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.